Well, it will be in August that is. I inquired at the Astral Designs booth at Canoecopia and Baylor was kind enough to let me know that, yes, the TR1 Merge is back in 2.0 trim. Unfortunately, it is not available until August he said. He pulled out a demo pair they had in a box - low and behold - in my size! He let me try them on and they were just as light and comfortable as version 1.0. He even let me take some pics. Baylor said they incorporated some updates based on customer input and field trials. Here are some side-by-side pics compared with my 1.0's. From what I can tell, the metal eyelets are gone, the collar seems a bit more cushioned, the heel pull is vertical and there is double stitching on the toe rand vs. single. The footbed and aggressive sole tread are carry-overs. If they have improved the durability, this should be a win. My 1.0's are still serviceable, but I really wish I could have walked out of there with the new ones! He didn't say on pricing, but suspect it should be in the $125-150 range judging by the website pricing.

If you expect to walk on wet rocky terrain I'd advise against the Merge, at least in it's previous reincarnation, I had many more falls in one season wearing the Merge than any other wet-footing shoes. I found Rassler 2.0 to be far better in that respect.

Astral has two types of sole rubber; the Rasslers have the stickier stuff. Merge, Loyak and Brewers have the more durable stuff.

It's all relative, I suppose. I haven't worn them much yet as I just got them last fall, but so far I've been happy with the wet grip on my TR1 Meshes compared to the Keens and Merrells I've had. I wonder if the extra durability really matters on a shoe that's so lightly built to begin with. I suspect that the uppers will be trashed long before the soles. We'll see I guess.

EddyTurn: "If you expect to walk on wet rocky terrain I'd advise against the Merge, at least in it's previous reincarnation, I had many more falls in one season wearing the Merge than any other wet-footing shoes. I found Rassler 2.0 to be far better in that respect."

I have the Rassler as well and have portaged Quetico in it, before they made the TR1. It has a very thin footbed - like 9mm I think, and it's very soft. Step on a sharp rock and you'll feel it. It has no shank to support your arch. Yes, it has the GSS compound sole and with the siping, they offer Spiderman like grip on smooth, slick surfaces. It's lower top also offers little protection for ankles from the sharp granite up there. Get into some clay or muddy situations and you might as well be wearing a pair of dress shoes. They are great for rivers, not so much for portages.

The TR1 has a thicker footbed, like 15-16mm and a thermoplastic shank with an agressive tread more suited to carrying heavy loads over rough, muddy, mucky terrain. The 2.0 version is also supposed to have a softer compound tread. Even in the 1.0 configuration, I found it a better match for the BW/Q portage trails. YMMV

pd

plmn: "It's all relative, I suppose. I haven't worn them much yet as I just got them last fall, but so far I've been happy with the wet grip on my TR1 Meshes compared to the Keens and Merrells I've had. I wonder if the extra durability really matters on a shoe that's so lightly built to begin with. I suspect that the uppers will be trashed long before the soles. We'll see I guess. "

My TR1 Meshes have been great for traction as well, but you're right, the uppers aren't very durable. It makes sense since they're mostly mesh. I found that the mesh started to tear away from the bottom and started allowing debris into the shoe so I had to shake little rocks and sand out a lot. They did replace the shoes once as a courtesy but told me that, technically, it's expected wear and tear. I like how lightweight they are and they do have great grip, so I'm still rocking the worn pair until they get too beat up, and then I'll use the new pair. I like them as camp shoes as well when I'm using my NRS Boundary Boot as my wetfoot shoe.

JD: "My TR1 Meshes have been great for traction as well, but you're right, the uppers aren't very durable. It makes sense since they're mostly mesh. I found that the mesh started to tear away from the bottom and started allowing debris into the shoe so I had to shake little rocks and sand out a lot. They did replace the shoes once as a courtesy but told me that, technically, it's expected wear and tear. I like how lightweight they are and they do have great grip, so I'm still rocking the worn pair until they get too beat up, and then I'll use the new pair. I like them as camp shoes as well when I'm using my NRS Boundary Boot as my wetfoot shoe."

I wanted something breathable and light and quick drying so I knew going in I was giving up durability. It's more running shoe than hiker. If they last a couple of years I'll be satisfied with them.

I like them a lot but am also very disappointed in them. I used them more for hiking and fishing mostly in Wyoming. With less than 100 miles in a month the mesh has penny size holes. Astral did offer me warranty service. But for all they preach sustainability this appears to be a disposable shoe.

I really liked the ankle collar and secure lacing. They do dry quickly. The grip is good in a variety of conditions. The potential to slip is still there.

I found the size to be true. I wore them with light socks, medium socks, and waterproof sealskinz.

I have flat feet. After long hikes, my feet were sore. I could use more support in the mid sole.

Finally, I am concerned that the mesh is a potential transport of invasive species, akin to felt soles on waders.

Another alternative with great grip are Simms flyweight boots.

Miksilly: "I like them a lot but am also very disappointed in them. I used them more for hiking and fishing mostly in Wyoming. With less than 100 miles in a month the mesh has penny size holes. Astral did offer me warranty service."

I only used mine portaging (~10 miles) and around camp, so the many holes in mine are from Canadian Shield...and like you I was offered a warranty solution.

But it was disappointing to feel like the perfect portage boots were within reach, only to have them so underwhelmingly fail.

I’m on probably my fifth pair of Astral shoes and stoked for the TR1. I’ve had a few Brewers dating back to 2014 ish, Loyaks, Rasslers and TR1 Mesh. Never any issues for grip, sometimes they were a bit too soft, it still a choice I’d make a gain and again. I’ve really only slipped on surfaces that outside of spikes, not really sure what would’ve gripped better. Not trying to change anybody’s mind, but I’ve been real happy throughout the years of Astral footwear and PFD’s.